You’re Probably Too Busy [Part 1]

Do you consider yourself a busy person? You know, the type who is always scrambling to find the time to do things they know they should do? I know what it feels like, because I consider myself one.

(Disclaimer: I have to admit, I’m probably the worst person to write this article. But I’m writing this article is because it’s something I need to remind myself to do more often.)

If you took a look at my calendar, you would find that:

My days sometimes look more like meetings rather than work;

My nights are spent meeting up with, or ministering to women;

Then there are weekends where I would do the spillover work from the week, weekend work events and meetings for more ministry-related events.

Now my feelings about my schedule are a mix of delight and frustration.

I am delighted because I see purpose in what I am doing. I know that every little meeting in my schedule is a necessary part in executing great things for others. I know that meeting up with a variety of people are opportunities to build on these relationships, get correction and gain insight from others, learn new things, deepen my faith, and even build up others’ faith as well. I know that I am maximizing my time while I am single, and being faithful with the people and tasks that God has entrusted me with.

In the same breath, I am very, very frustrated. There are errands I should have done months ago, that I still haven’t found the time to do. There are important, personal projects that I have set aside in order to honor present commitments. There are relationships I have forgotten to follow up on because of the people I needed to urgently attend to. There is a book shelf that I haven’t touched, yet I continue to fill, because I keep fooling myself to thinking I have time for all of them. And to top it all off, I don’t even have time for fitness anymore.

Time is a funny thing. It’s kind of like a big bag you love to carry around with you. You know for a fact that because it’s so big, you have so much room for things and knick-knacks—some important, others not so—to fill it with. So you fill it and fill it until your back hurts, and you can’t even pinpoint the cause of the ache. Then you rummage through the bag, and wonder what happened to all that free space you had. Do you feel stuck in the same situation?

Last Christmas, one of my mentors from church gave me a book. She told me how it reminded her of me, and that she hoped I would apply it. I took one look at the cover and laughed. The book was “Crazy Busy” by the Kevin DeYoung. My mentor had a sense of humor.

At first, I was so excited to read the book. This will definitely be in the top 5 books I need to read ASAP, I thought. But like all the other great books before this, this sat in my shelf for the first two weeks of January. Then life and the busyness continued, until one day I found the book staring at me from my office shelf. I took that as a sign that it was calling my name. So I grabbed it, and a few pages down, I was hooked.

Now I won’t tell you everything I learned in the book—because you should seriously read the book and support Mr. DeYoung—but I can tell you one insight I got that helped me manage the busyness and retain my sanity.

If you could memorize this the next time you find yourself too “busy”, I’m sure it will give you help:

I am not Jesus… but I can look to Him.

I’ve divided this truth into two parts, which I will write about in the next two articles.